In Defense of the Snuggie

How many times during your television watching time have you been subjected to an "As Seen on TV" commercial? By this is meant a commercial for a product that cannot be bought at the local store but that must be purchased via telephone.
These commercials usually feature a pitch by a famed pitch man like the late Billy Mays, or the still living Anthony Sullivan (Stick Buddy) or the odious Vince Offer (Shticky, Slap Chop).
One of the few commercials of this type is the commercial for the Snuggie. The Snuggie is basically a cheap fleece blanket with sleeves so that while one is "wearing" it one can hold a book or eat or sew or knit without taking one's arms out of the blanket.
The thing is made of cheap fabric and the labor involved in making it is minimal and it is probably over-priced. But the surprising thing is that it works and works well. It looks silly, but no more silly than the afghan that your aunt gave you for Christmas.
It's a great light blanket for the summer, even if one doesn't use the sleeves. It's a great extra blanket for cold weather. It's like wearing a second pyjama top.
The only mistakes that the company that produces the thing have made are the Camo Snuggie (really! are you going to camo yourself in the living room or take the thing on a camping trip?), the addition of the pocket (why?), and not offering the thing in a better fabric (a Hudson's Bay blanket with sleeves would not only be awfully warm, but also last a lifetime).
The Snuggie has been unfairly denigrated by the cool and the hip. It's a great thing that works. And the same thing can be said of the Brooklyn Lantern (not a great lantern for the wilderness, but a good light for an emergency).